D’Tigers, D’Tigress arrive in Lomé for 2018 FIBA 3×3 Africa Cup

The men and women’s national teams arrived in Lomé, Togo yesterday for the 2018 FIBA 3×3 Africa Cup, which begins this weekend.The men’s team captained by Azuoma Dike (Kano Pillars) is made up of Abdul Yahaya (Kano Pillars), Lucky Subel (Kano Pillars) and Godwin David (Kano Pillars)

Still buzzing from their Zenith Bank Women’s Basketball League victory and a fairy tale 2018 FIBA Women’s World Cup run where the D’Tigress got to the quarterfinals, the women’s 3×3 team will hope to tap into the superlative form of Nkechi Akaraiwe, who scored 32 points, two assists and five rebounds to hand First Bank the 2018 Zenith Bank Basketball Women League.

World Cup debutant and 2018 Zenith Bank Basketball Women’s League Most Valuable Player, Nkem Uwa Akaraiwe alongside Grace Okonkwo were also listed.Following her sterling role in the colours of Dolphins, 2018 3×3 U-18 African Youth Games MVP, Ijeh Fumnaya Linda was also listed by the team’s coach, Acha Chris.

The men will hope to defend the title they won in 2017, while the women, who lost narrowly to Mali in 2017 final, will hope to go a step further and win the title.

Points will be gathered from the competition as part of a prerequisite to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics where 3×3 style of basketball will debut.The delegation was led to Togo by the Director of 3×3, Nigeria and Chairman, Federal Capital Territory Basketball Association, Frank Jituboh.